Chapter 12: IBTML

Chapter 12

The day of the accident in I Accidentally Became the Beloved Youngest Princess had been just like today.

Even though it was summer, fierce winds had swept across the grounds.

Strong enough to turn a tiny spark into an inferno.

When the director learned that Carrington had carelessly thrown away a cigarette that hadn't been fully extinguished, he flew into a rage.

Carrington had nearly been expelled.

After all, both Medina and Chester were among the most outstanding children in Class 1.

The only problem was that, in the novel, Chester had hidden himself in a corner while trying to escape the fire, making him difficult to find.

Even if I stopped Medina from charging into the flames, Chester could still be seriously injured if it took too long to rescue him.

But I know where Chester hides.

Perhaps because it was such an important scene, the novel had described it in remarkable detail.

Having organized my thoughts, I yanked open the curtain surrounding the infirmary bed.

The chair where the school nurse usually sat was empty.

No matter how much I looked around, he was nowhere to be seen.

At a time like this, where did he go?!

I hurried downstairs to the classroom.

Not a single person was there.

I need an adult if I'm going to save Chester and Medina!

Especially someone who could keep the fire from spreading further.

“Is anybody here?!”

I shouted as loudly as I could.

No answer came.

I was practically dancing in place from anxiety when a clock caught my eye.

“Ah... lunchtime.”

The cafeteria was located some distance away.

By the time I ran there and brought someone back, precious minutes would be lost.

And Medina might enter the fire before I returned.

If that happened, both of them could be seriously injured, just like in the novel.

I didn't want events to unfold exactly as they had originally when I might still be able to save them.

Clutching my throbbing forehead, I rushed outside.

The strong wind whipped my hair through the air.

Fighting against the gusts, I sprinted to the nearest well.

I drew up a bucket of water and dumped it over myself.

Just in case, I soaked three handkerchiefs as well before running toward the incinerator.

“As expected!”

Gray smoke was already billowing around the area.

The fire was spreading even faster than I had anticipated.

Before entering, I frantically searched the surroundings.

I was looking for Medina.

But she wasn't anywhere.

Don't tell me she already went inside?

A creeping sense of dread crawled up my spine.

Thinking about a child being horribly injured right in front of me—the same way it happened in the original story—made my heart race.

“Chester! Medina!”

I shouted with all my strength and listened carefully.

“Cough...”

Then I heard it.

A faint cough from inside.

“I-Is anyone there...? Cough!”

The moment I heard Chester's voice, I hurried into the burning structure, doing my best to avoid the flames while replaying the novel's description in my head.

In the story, Chester had hidden himself deep inside a secluded corner.

Despite the blazing heat, Medina did not stop.

After moving deep into the incinerator, she found Chester curled up in a narrow corner where the left wall met another wall.

On the wall above him, large letters read: NO SMOKING.

The novel had said she walked straight in.

But in reality, the incinerator was packed with piles of garbage.

There was no way to move in a straight line.

Why is there so much trash?

I zigzagged my way deeper inside.

The wall.

The left side.

The sign that says No Smoking.

WHOOSH!

“Ugh!”

A wave of heat suddenly washed over me, forcing me to stop.

The flames were already intense enough to make my face sting.

At this rate, the entire incinerator would soon be consumed.

A quick glance around told me Medina probably wasn't inside yet.

But that presented its own problem.

If she arrived later and rushed in—

Anything could happen while I was trying to lead Chester out.

This was a race against time.

I needed to get him out as quickly as possible.

And if Medina had already entered somewhere I couldn't see, I'd have to save her too.

Grinding my teeth, I pressed the wet handkerchief harder against my mouth and pushed deeper inside.

Then I saw it.

Just as the novel had described.

The wall with the large letters.

I hurriedly scanned the area.

And there he was.

Curled up in a corner.

Found you!

Chester was coughing repeatedly.

I rushed over.

Hearing my footsteps, he slowly raised his head.

His eyes widened in shock the moment he saw me.

“C-Cough... L-Lopez?”

“Are you okay?”

I quickly checked him for injuries.

Fortunately, the flames hadn't reached this part yet.

Aside from smoke inhalation, he appeared unharmed.

I hadn't been too late.

Relief flooded through me.

Grabbing the motionless Chester, I pulled him to his feet.

“H-How are you...?”

His body was covered in soot as he stammered in disbelief.

Seeing how frightened he was made my heart ache.

No matter how much of a male lead he might be, Chester was still just a child.

It was perfectly natural for him to be terrified.

In other novels, male leads often displayed absurd genius and strength even as children.

But in this world, their special powers hadn't awakened yet.

I pressed one of the wet handkerchiefs over Chester's mouth and nose.

At least this would keep him from inhaling more smoke.

Then I glanced around.

“Where's Medina?”

“M-Medina? I came to throw away the trash alone... Cough.”

“I was just checking. You're always together.”

Thank goodness.

It seemed Medina hadn't arrived yet.

Leading the trembling boy away from the corner, I released a small sigh.

Now all we had to do was get out.

As Chester obediently followed me, he suddenly reached up and touched my hair.

His gaze dropped to the water dripping from my clothes and pooling on the floor.

“Why are you all wet...?”

I immediately stopped him from pulling the handkerchief away.

“Don't breathe in the smoke. Shh.”

The moment I moved my head, dizziness washed over me.

Maybe it was the fever.

Maybe the smoke.

Either way, the world tilted.

I staggered once but forced strength back into my legs.

Then I grabbed Chester's hand.

We couldn't risk getting separated in the fire.

His hand felt burning hot against mine.

Perhaps because of the flames.

For a moment, Chester stared.

Then he tightened his grip.

“Let's go.”

I looked directly at him.

“Don't look anywhere else. Just watch me, okay?”

If he started looking around and panicking, he might make a dangerous decision.

Chester nodded.

He even tugged my hand impatiently, as if urging me to hurry.

Slowly, we started forward.

If everything went well, we'd make it out safely.

But according to the novel, a pile of garbage would collapse from the right side.

That was how Medina and Chester ended up suffering burns.

Stay away from the right side.

Holding Chester's hand, I guided us close to the left wall.

Creak...

Crack...

FWOOSH!

The mountains of garbage swayed precariously.

The fire continued to grow.

Just as I was about to quicken my pace, a tiny ember landed on Chester's sleeve.

“Aah!”

He let out a startled cry.

Immediately, I grabbed his arm and smothered the ember with my hand.

Fortunately, it was small.

It went out almost instantly.

My palm burned.

But I didn't say a word.

Instead, I pulled Chester closer.

I can't rely solely on the novel.

After all, Medina wasn't beside Chester now.

I was.

The circumstances had already changed.

There was no reason to assume everything would happen exactly as written.

Most importantly, Medina had arrived at a different time in the novel than I had now.

Then Chester whispered quietly beside me.

“You're hurt... Why did you come here...?”

I wanted to tell him not to talk.

Not while smoke filled the air.

But one look at his frightened face made me swallow the words.

Instead, I pressed the handkerchief over his mouth more firmly.

“There weren't any adults around, so I came.”

I forced a smile.

“I'm not hurt that badly.”

“Your face is red.”

“Maybe I'm getting roasted.”

“...Pfft.”

Thankfully, the small joke seemed to ease his nerves.

He scooted closer and held my hand even tighter.

An adult could have escaped quickly.

But trapped in a child's body, every step felt frustratingly slow.

We carefully continued forward.

One step.

Then another.

And then—

Tick.

Something shifted.

A sharp sound echoed overhead.

A towering pile of garbage tilted toward us.

“L-Lopez!”

Chester's face went deathly pale.

Without thinking, I released his hand.

And shoved him.

Despite how tightly he'd been holding on, his small body stumbled forward easily.

At the same instant, debris came crashing down above me.

“NO, LOPEZ—!”

Chester's desperate scream rang through the inferno.

I curled myself into a ball.

FWOOOOOSH!

The flames swallowed me whole.